Germany: Teen suspected of planning Islamic extremist bombing attack arrested
What's the story
A German teenager has been arrested on suspicion that he was planning an Islamic extremist bombing attack in the Frankfurt area, prosecutors said yesterday. Frankfurt prosecutors' spokesman, Sinan Akdogan, told The Associated Press that the 17-year-old was arrested by Hesse state police on September 1 and ordered held by a judge on suspicion of preparing a serious act of violence. Here's more.
Plans
Teenager was planning to attack gay nightclub, Catholic church
The information leading to the arrest, provided by the US, indicated the suspect was planning to attack a gay nightclub in Frankfurt and a Catholic church in Berlin, an official said. Akdogan wouldn't comment on the target or source of the information concerning the attack, citing the ongoing investigation, but said state police had been acting on information received through Germany's domestic intelligence agency.
Details
Accused had instructions on how to make explosives
At the time of his arrest, the suspect, whose name was withheld for privacy reasons, had instructions on how to make explosives known as TATP and was trying to procure chemicals online, Akdogan said. It wasn't clear how advanced the preparations were but Akdogan said small amounts of chemicals were found during a search of the suspect's home in Florstadt, northeast of Frankfurt.
Past events
American intelligence information had helped Germany previously as well
Germany has previously had success with American intelligence information helping thwart plots. In 2007, Germany stopped a plan to bomb the US Air Force's Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In that case, German officials put under surveillance four members of the Islamic Jihad Union and replaced the hydrogen peroxide they had collected for their bombs with a diluted substitute that couldn't produce an explosive.